SeaLife SportDiver Ultra Underwater Smartphone Housing

2025-07-09T04:41:46

Rubber tabs in housing will not hold phone. If you bump the unit, the phone becomes dislodged. This includes jumping into water. Forget pics on that dive... You will have to fabricate some extra hold downs, such as using rubber tubing, fuel line pieces or similar to keep phone in place. The included mounts only hold 2 sides of phone plus a spring piece on top. The extra rubber is needed between the unmounted side of the phone and housing. You will also need some pieces between the phone & top cover to keep it from moving towards cover from the base of the housing. The foam pieces to block the gap to prevent light from coming in around the sides of the camera/phone do not stick very well, nor are they big enough. They need various sizes to cure this. Other than the above, the idea is sound, but if there are issues with connectivity, you have to restart the camera & housing which involves opening up the unit Not good if on the water.

David M.

2024-07-22T19:11:22

(*NOTE:* This is a review of the original model) I hadn't considered owning an underwater phone housing, but chanced upon the Sportdiver in a raffle. I'm thrilled to have it, since my 2011 Reefmaster Mini camera is no longer supported. I had to acclimate to the size and simple setup of the Sportdiver, but love its secure design, photo quality, and settings. My concerns were eased over some sink tests, outdoor experience, and assuring e-mails with SeaLife representative Sven Harms. Should this item interest you, inform yourself first. SeaLife has a phone compatibility chart on its website. Though my Moto-G Play phone was listed too large to fit, it does! Its true dimensions are marginally smaller than those the manufacturers provided for SeaLife. Don't leave that to luck. Their Ultra model can fit some larger phones, but has a different window orientation. Even a few phones that fit may not have supported operating systems. In the Box: As pictured, you'll get the trappings to power the device and keep it dry for your first few uses. I'm particularly pleased with the wrist strap and removable red filter, but feel the kit could have come with a small brush for first-time owners. It can be difficult to clear fine sand grains from the buttons or twist lock without one. If you intend to make regular use of this housing, you'll eventually need more moisture munchers, batteries, and occasionally O-Rings. One muncher lasted four of my dives. Size and Handling: The Sportdiver is larger than some simpler submersible point-and-shoot cameras and won't fit into a small belt pouch as they do. That allows such a large range of phones to properly wear it, but also makes stabilizing it a two-handed matter for me. Even so, the wrist strap and cleverly contoured front surface make it easy to grasp. It isn't heavy, but buoyancy may vary by phone model. Keep the Sportdiver tethered or clipped to you at all times-carelessness may cost you two devices. App and Setup: Likewise, the app and software are easy to grasp. The manual and on-screen prompts are clear, but you should practice setup and test it in a sink or pool before using it in the wild. Try to reach your dive site a few minutes earlier to ready the housing without haste. I've had no leak issues, but the Sportdiver's alarm is definitely voluble. Don't be alarmed to hear it when you dry and open the unit after use. There's a little delay in button response and menu navigation when you use this Bluetooth device, but don't hammer the buttons impatiently. You won't have the option to capture video with too little memory. I try to have 700MB-1GB open when my phone dives in this housing. Settings: The Sportdiver's price rivals that of some good introductory underwater cameras (esp. if used,) but you indirectly upgrade it any time you get a suitable phone with stronger cameras. This captures much clearer and wider pictures than my old Reefmaster Mini, with more thorough settings like ISO, White Balance, Manual Focus, and Shutter Speed. I especially enjoy the three-shot-burst mode, which eases timing with moving subjects. If you're wont to learning and exploring these settings, you only stand to improve! Just know that a few shooting modes and features are only available to certain operating systems or phone camera builds. I don't think it can use your phone's flash, but such an accessory is available. But before even that, your own skills and site conditions are factors. Get a handle on your position and buoyancy, and you'll have time to calmly observe these settings and their effects. The best learning chances may come while snorkeling in clear water or diving with an air supply. *Tip: The manual doesn't mention it, but if you pull the shutter while in Settings mode, you return directly to Photo mode. Issues: Over my four present uses, the Sportdiver's seal has been faultless! But sand became lodged beneath the buttons on my first use, disabling some of them for the dive. This may only be an issue for shore divers or those near muddy bottoms. I remedied it with an air duster and a small brush, and it thankfully hasn't recurred. Take care never to lose the valve cap--if you did, the device couldn't seal. I'm happy with the design, but perhaps the cap could use a small tether. The red filter sometimes drifts and blocks my shots while detached. You may want to pocket it when you don't need it. Construction: I trust the solid plastic construction of the device. Although its large window has a screen protector, I'd never want to drop it--I've seen no mention of drop resistance. Also, take care not to subject it to harsh, direct sunlight for long. I'm eager to improve my use of this phone dive suit throughout the season. I respect its potential not only in recreation and study, but as a means of showing freelance clients property conditions. Thanks for the superb prize, SeaLife and <a href="http://Scuba.com," target="_blank">Scuba.com,</a> and thanks for your polite and professional patience, Sven!

Tykwon G.